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With the introduction of new materials and the evolution of valve design over the years, the days when fluid handling operators were limited by the number of valve types available to control the process are long gone. These advancements plus more stringent fugitive emissions standards, a strengthened concern for the health and safety of plant personnel and the desire of operators to achieve a lower total cost of ownership have made valve selection a science. One of the applications where this science must be put into practice is chlor-alkali plants.

Valves can be found just about anywhere today: in our homes, under the street, in commercial buildings and in thousands of places within power and water plants, paper mills, refineries, chemical plants and other industrial and infrastructure facilities.

Water harvesting in commercial projects involves collecting rooftop rainwater, stormwater runoff, condensate from air handlers and greywater from showers, baths and lavatory sinks. This water is reused for non-potable applications such as toilet flushing, irrigation and cooling towers.

Charles Henley, a senior mechanical engineer at Black & Veatch, was one of the presenters at the 2017 VMA Technical Seminar held in early March in Nashville. His presentation on supercritical power plants was especially well received because he shed light on some of the critical issues. This report is based on what he said in his session.

Over the centuries, the pulp and paper industry evolved greatly: from the first recorded paper made from rag stock in China (circa 100 AD) to paper derived from wood pulp (the 1840s) to the highly technical manufacturing and chemical processes of today. Paper use historically was for communication, but electronic channels have created significant decreases in newsprint and coated paper. However, other industry sectors emerged, and the world’s growing population and modernized economies mean these new sectors, which include packaging and boxboard, tissue, toweling, diaper and personal hygiene products, among others, are flourishing.